Dawn of the Millennium

July 16, 2004|By Chicago Tribune.

Chicago's long-awaited Millennium Park officially opens Friday, six years after Mayor Daley first proposed it. Daley envisioned the 24.5-acre park as a way to welcome the 21st Century and solidify the "City in a Garden" image set forth by the city's original founders in 1837. To refuel Chicago's reputation for architecture and culture, the city commissioned artists from all over the world to piece together the $475 million addition to Grant Park.

Crown Fountain

Designed by Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa, the fountain's twin towers will alternate images on their glass screens as water cascades from the top. Among the pictures that will be displayed are 1,000 faces and 100 nature images from the Chicago area.

Named after the Crown family of Chicago, which with the Goodman family gave $10 million.

How the screens were designed

1 Video camera captured faces making various expressions, such as smiling, meditating and looking serious.

2 The faces were stretched to a grid to match the shape of the fountain screen.

3 Faces are randomly displayed on the screen for 13 minutes. During the 1/2nal minute, the face puckers its lips and water is released from a spout.

Faces of the towers

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago recruited volunteers from some 100 cultural groups representing a cross section of the city.

McCormick Tribune Plaza and Ice Rink

The free ice rink will be open from November through March. Skate rentals are $5. During the summer, the rink will be converted into outdoor seating for the Park Grill restaurant.

For more information, call 312-521-7275 or 312-742-5222 when the ice rink is in season.

Named after Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation, which gave $5 million.

Park Grill restaurant

The 300-seat restaurant will serve classic American cuisine. Average cost for lunch is $13-$15 and $20-$30 for dinner. Picnic bags-to-go also are available.

Kapoor Sculpture on SBC Plaza

"Cloud Gate," the 110-ton kidney-shaped sculpture, was created with 168 stainless steel plates pieced together like a puzzle and welded shut. The mirrorlike surface is designed to reflect Chicago's skyline and the park. Visitors can walk through a 12-foot-high concave area underneath the sculpture, which opens in September.

Named after SBC Corp., which donated $3 million.

Millennium Monument

A recreation of the colonnades designed by Chicago architect Edward Bennett, whose work includes Buckingham Fountain. The 40-foot-tall granite columns stand over a reflecting pool and have a base inscribed with the names of those donating $1 million or more.

Named after the Wm.Wrigley Jr. Co.

Foundation, which gave $5 million.

Jay Pritzker Pavilion and Great Lawn

Crowning the music pavilion's band shell are 679 stainless steel panels interlocked to form a series of curving structures. The park's centerpiece, the shell was designed by architect Frank Gehry. The pavilion is home to the Grant Park Music Festival.

Named after the Pritzker family, owners of the Hyatt Hotel chain, who gave $15 million.

How sound travels at the pavilion:

The acoustics system uses pairs of loudspeakers strategically placed throughout the overhead trellis.

- Natural sound from the orchestra travels directly to nearby audiences and reflects off architectural surfaces.

- Acoustic enhancement loudspeakers are arranged to deliver sound from all directions. Sound reflections typical of indoor concert halls are simulated using special electronics. The system helps mask peripheral city noise.

Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance

The 1,492-seat performance theater will be home to 12 performing arts groups. The partially underground facility will share backstage space with the band shell.

Named after arts advocates Joan and Irving Harris, who donated $39 million.

Exelon pavilions

Two of the pavilions will serve as welcome centers to the park and also as venues for special exhibitions. Elevators are available for access to underground parking.

Named after Exelon Corp., which donated $5 million.

Bicycle parking area

The 300-space, heated, indoor bike parking area will include showers, lockers, bike repair and rental centers and a coffee shop.

BP Bridge

Also designed by Frank Gehry, the 925-foot-long pedestrian bridge is sculpted with the same stainless steel panels as the pavilion's band shell. Linking the park to Daley Bicentennial Plaza, it is meant to provide an acoustic barrier for the pavilion from traffic noise on Columbus Drive. The bridge gives pedestrians an

opportunity to rise above street level to see the skyline and park.

Named after BP America Inc., which donated $5 million.

Lurie Garden

The 3-acre, year-round garden is split into two sections by a long wooden boardwalk. One side features 240 varieties of bright perennials, and the other is mostly shaded by trees. The garden was designed tilting south to catch more sunlight.